


Take the Lead

by the-canary (siruru)



Category: Captain America (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Alone on Christmas, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Avengers Family, Awkward Flirting, Awkward Romance, Bucky Barnes Recovering, Christmas Decorations, Christmas Fluff, Christmas Party, Developing Relationship, F/M, Feelings, Feelings Realization, Love Confessions, Mutual Pining, Not Avengers: Infinity War Part 1 (Movie) Compliant, Post-Black Panther (2018), Reader-Insert, Secret Crush, Strangers to Lovers, Unresolved Romantic Tension
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-19
Updated: 2018-12-27
Packaged: 2019-09-22 22:45:57
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 6,329
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17068598
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/siruru/pseuds/the-canary
Summary: You never understood the meaning of Christmas, but maybe this December project was going to change all that.





	1. the start.

**Author's Note:**

> this is for @buckysbeardliness ‘s winter challenge. 
> 
> Prompt: Comfort

It was strange, you had never been one to be big on the whole Christmas or holiday season. Yes, you got excited over presents as a kid, but that lost in novelty over the years and your own parents had never been people that were festive during that time of year after everything that had happened to them. The end of the year always brought bad memories and those were second-handedly passed on to you. Now, as an adult you worked past the holidays, only taking the break because the offices and Ms. Potts, made you take those days off. 

Christmas wasn’t really that important to you, until Tony Stark --at the beginning of December-- put it high on your priorities list. 

“Are you sure you want me to do this, Mr. Stark?” you ask in confusion, as he gives your bright smile with Pepper shaking her head at his side. You keep staring at the folder in your hands in more disbelief at it having  _ AN AVENGERS CHRISTMAS  _ written in bold letters. 

While, you were mainly her assistant, you still did work for Mr. Stark here and there when it came to the Avengers. You are sure he is saying something, but you own pounding heart and the utter confusion makes you miss most of it. 

“--Most of the team is going to be out on missions until that very day,” you finally hear what Mr. Stark is trying to explain, “I want them to be welcomed to something to lift their spirits and you never disappoint, kid!” 

“I think--” Pepper starts off, knowing the complicated feelings that you have around said time of the year, but you knew that you weren’t going to be doing anything either. Once Stark Industries closed for the holidays and Ms. Potts flew away on whatever vacation the billionaire genius decided to take her on, you were going to be alone with nothing to do. 

It was a sweet gesture and while you didn’t understand it completely, you were willing to help in making some of the greatest people in the world -- people that put their lives on the line everyday for the rest of the world a bit happier during their downtime. Mr. Stark is discussing the problem with his girlfriend when you look up at both of them -- a bright smile on their face that catches them both off guard.

“I’ll do it, Mr. Stark,” you exclaim as Pepper frowns in worry, but Tony just grins before grabbing you by the shoulders and leading you out of the office -- his plans for presents and the decorations already set in motion. 

It seemed simple enough really, you just needed to follow a few instructions and pick up somethings just in time for December 24th. 

Boy, if you only knew how wrong you were. 


	2. moving forward with the plan.

Bucky expects to be alone for the rest of the holidays, Steve and the rest of the team are on a variety of missions and his own ended early with Clint heading home to spend time his family. It is lonesome, Christmas-as vaguely as he can remember— was one of his favorite holidays to spend to his ma and younger sisters and by extension Steve. It was always tight in terms of presents when he was young, but the warmth of the holiday season was always present.

He hadn’t felt that in a long time now, but maybe stuffing himself on takeout and watching those Hallmark movies that Sam had suggested would be enough.

He certainly wasn’t expecting Pepper Potts’ cute assistant to be standing in front of the recreation room with a large silver monstrosity and boxes all around her in an utter lose of what to do next.

“What the hell is that?!” is the only thing he can manage to stay, as the poor young woman jumps a good two feet of the ground.

* * *

“Dear lord,” you wheeze out as you turn to see a very casually dressed Bucky Barnes, grey sweats and a blue long sleeve, carrying his morning coffee and breakfast in one of those old carry-on TV tables, “Sergeant Barnes, what are you doing here?”

You have to question because you were sure that all the Avengers were out, specifically Bucky Barnes was on a lookout mission with Hawkeye in Eastern Europe. It gave you ample time to finish everything and head home — you wouldn’t have to see or interact with anyone and certainly not with the blue-eyed man in front of you.

“Mission ended early,” he states as a fact, “It’s all down time now. What are you doing here, doll?”

You freeze for just a moment -Sgt. Barnes always made you feel small when talking to him- before stating with an awkward smile: “Christmas decorations for the Tower.”

“Is that the Christmas tree?” Bucky can’t help but ask.

“Per Mr. Stark’s orders,” you reply automatically as he just frowns at the artificial, silver Christmas tree that is staring back at him semi-decorated with gold, red, and white tinsel. It blinds the former Winter Soldier and he can’t help the indignation rising in him.

“Yeah, we can’t have that,” Bucky suddenly says, even surprising himself, as you look at him in confusion and a silent  _ excuse me.  _ Bucky knows he can’t go back in what he had just said, you were the type of fight back when someone questioned you — he had seen it from time to time when you were talking to someone over the phone.

But, it wasn’t like he enjoyed it or anything. 

“You got Stark’s credit card, right?” he finally answers as you nod slowly, still unsure of what they hell is going on, “Well, we’re getting a real tree!” 

You blink at the man’s sudden enthusiasm as he heads back into the hallway. You aren’t sure what is going to happen next, but it seems that things just got more complicated. You shake your head and prepare to move forward with wherever Sgt. Barnes might take you.

* * *

 

_ This one isn’t tall enough. _

_ The pines are too saggy. _

_ It’s leaning too much on its left side.  _

It takes you half the day, going into Brooklyn, and fighting with what seems like ten Christmas tree sellers in order to find a “perfect tree” in Bucky’s eyes. It takes you another three stores to find the type of decorations that he is looking for and by the time you return to the Tower --thanks you a little extra money-- the large tree is settled across the silver plastic one that Bucky had gotten used to seeing over the years. You two place the many bags you end up carrying back full of tinsel, small figurines, and various other decorations down on the living room. 

“Now, onto decorating,” Bucky smiles to himself at the sight, however it quickly drops when your voice echoes in from the background.

“How exactly do we do that?” 

Blue eyes met yours, as you stare at him and then at the tree in pure curiosity. It doesn’t take Bucky long to realize that for whatever reason, this might be your first time decorating a Christmas tree, and as much as he wants to ask, Bucky would rather not dampen the mood. The rush of old ideas, finding the perfect tree, and spending time with a certain someone push him forward as the two of you set about to decorating the tree --- the loneliness from earlier in the day completely fading away. 

It takes you well into the  late evening to have most of the tree set up. The lights and tinsel sparkle in their own way, as there are various miniature Avengers decorations hanging from the pine branches. However, halfway through, Bucky has a washed out memory -- of laughter and a young girl while stealing ( _ “Ma, Jamie ate another piece!”) _ popcorn every so often from the decorations they are supposed to be making. 

And while you are confused, you are more than willing to help Bucky makes these lines of popcorn and cranberries. It is silent after he gives you the set of instructions you are to follow, only your occasional hum breaks it as Bucky wishes for a moment he had those old tunes playing in the background. 

Maybe even with a fireplace in front of you. Blue eyes look up to see you diligently place one piece after another, though you fumble here and there with your tongue sticking out of the corner of your mouth and for a brief second Bucky wonders what it would be like to--

“What else do you have to do exactly?” Bucky asks, as he places popcorn after the sugar piece into the wire making the handmade decorations with great ease, trying to forget his sudden thought, “What is Stark making you do exactly anyways?” 

“Buy presents for the rest of the team,” you explain as you fiddle and struggle with your own popcorn piece, “Though I am not to sure with the info that I was given if they aren’t supposed to be gag gifts.” 

“Well, I’m here to to help,” Bucky grins a bit a ease than before, though he doesn’t exactly remember where he got this little design from -- it’s an old memory trapped in laughter that he can’t quite hear anymore, “If you need me.” 

“Thank you, Sgt. Barnes,” you give him a soft smile before going back to twisting the fishing line. 

Bucky pauses for a moment and goes back to putting all his attention to said decoration, though so much happier that he isn’t alone for now and that maybe, he’ll get to make some new memories around the season while learning a bit more about you as well.    


	3. just desserts.

Bucky tries not to hide his disappointment when you don’t come  the next day. The Christmas tree you two had decorated together shining brightly with all the tinsel and various Avengers ornaments you had placed on it, though it was a touch old-fashioned with a vintage silver star you had found and the popcorn decorations he had forced you to make. 

It dawns on him that he pretty much dragged you everywhere when he wanted to remind himself of old Christmas memories, completely unsure now whether you had been annoyed with the idea. Though, while looking at the tree and taking a sip of his coffee -- Bucky could only hope it wasn’t true, that he was just overthinking.

* * *

 

As a matter of fact, Bucky is overthinking it because at the current moment, you were slowly killing yourself over all the notes Mr. Stark had given you on all of the Avengers --details upon details of what they liked and enjoyed, and you certainly didn’t know what to do with it all. You just looked at all the loose ends of paperwork with a lost look on your face. 

Mr. Stark might be a bit odd in his gift giving, you had experienced it yourself many times before, since he usually gave a gag gift alongside something meaningful to a person -- a one, two, three punch if you will so he had them laughing, but also emotionally crushed at the same time. He just really cared a lot, though tried to hide it through flippant gestures. For all you knew, the second part of the gifts were already set up, but the gag gift --- that was your department for this year and you weren’t exactly sure what to do.

“Old man, vintage, eagle,” you murmur the first part of his notes regarding Captain Rogers in annoyance unsure of what you are supposed to do with that. 

Gift giving had never been your foray. The most of you done was give away gift cards because it seemed like the safest thing, people could simply buy what they wanted. This was a completely different monster from your usual jobs and you weren’t sure what to do. 

The only logical thought in your head was to ask the one Avenger that you knew was still in the city -- Bucky Barnes.

* * *

 

It’s midweek when Bucky decides to head out -- the too quiet and too big Tower bothering him, though Steve promises that they will all be back in a few more days, maybe even earlier if the missions keep going according to plan. That’s only one problem that Bucky seems to have, being alone during one of his favorite times of the year, but he tries his hardest to make something of it. He is planning somethings before the holiday season gets too crazy, just to bring some cheer to other people and make a little easier for them. However, that will only happen when Christmas is a bit closer. 

His second problem is standing in middle of the central kitchen trying to play baker with an apron and soft Christmas music playing in the background. Bucky swears he has to be dreaming, as he stands there for a good five minutes until you finally turn around and see him. 

“Oh!” you exclaim as it takes him a moment to realize what is happening,”I’ve been waiting for you.”

“What are you doing?” he asked, more confused than anything else since it feels like he’s stepped into an updated version of  _ It’s A Wonderful Life,  _ all he needed was Steve and the rest of the Avengers coming in like they had saved the whole world once more but were no longer needed -- that the fighting was finally over and done with. 

“I’m trying to get into the holiday spirit,” you explain a bit sheepishly as he sits across from where you are standing, finally taking notice that the apron has little Christmas decorations on it and you have a holiday cookbook. It really is something else as you give him a twirl and Bucky swears his breath catches in his lungs for a moment. 

“Why exactly?” Bucky can’t help but ask, as you go back to finishing your latest batch of whatever you are making at the current moment, “Doesn’t your family celebrate?” 

“My parents never really enjoyed the holiday,” you explain moving around and getting another metal pan,“It brought up too many bad memories. My siblings do, in a more off handed sort of since they’re married with kids.” 

Bucky thinks about what you said for a moment, while watching you put on some mittens, taking out the deserts you have made and placing another batch inside to cook. You try your hardest to hum to the song, swinging to it in the process, as Bucky can’t help but smile because even if you didn’t know much about the holiday, it was lovely to see how open-hearted you were about it. 

“And you?” he asks, as you turn around back to facing him.

“Me?” you answer back, thinking for a moment before answering, “I just get a break I guess. Nobody to really spend it with.” 

Bucky sighs for a moment because it feels the same way for him -- he had just been waiting on the edge to see if Steve or any of the other Avengers needed him, but even after everything was said and done he still felt like an outsider. The holiday certainly wasn’t helping, but the few moments that he had with you -- they were certainly changing his mind. 

Blue eyes are looking directly into yours as you feel the moment grow tense. He gives you a crooked smile that you know should be illegal, as he leans a little closer to the kitchen counter top. He’s ready to say something, maybe those magic words when--

_ Ring! Ring!  _

The microwave on top, near all the cabinets, rings and whatever was about to happen is broken as you rush back to the other side of the kitchen. Bucky sighs, unsure of whether he is disappointed or something else with the turn of events. You give him a smile, as you are finally success in making a decent batch of Christmas cookies all you needed to do was frost them.  

“I was actually wondering if you could help me with something,” you ask a bit more timidly than before, as he tries to grab a cookie with a napkin, though Bucky hisses slightly at the heat that even he isn’t immune to when stealing a cookie.

“Do-ing what?” he asks, as he takes a bit out of said cookie and for a moment you wait in anticipation for what he might think. Bucky simply nods his head and takes another bite, while making a comment about needing milk, as you are grateful that he seems to be enjoying them. 

“Find gifts for everyone,” you admit, though you keep out the part that they are supposed to be gag gifts since it just didn’t seem right to you, especially when you see an excited smile bloom on Bucky’s face over such an idea. 

“Yeah,  _ yeah _ ,” Bucky nods excitedly as you both agree that you start once you have finished the rest of your baking. He sits down and keeps watching you until you are already --- talking about all the things you could get Steve first before moving forward with some old stories that he remembered. 

And in that moment, you wonder if this is supposed to be how Christmas should feel like.  


	4. gifts and mistletoe.

_ “People celebrate things in different ways, some more somber than others. You should take that into consideration as well.”  _

Bucky realizes this soon after he starts going shopping with you. He remembers, in faded memories, how his parents in the middle of the Depression tried their hardest to have the best Christmas they could with pinching pennies and hearty homemade cooking. Steve’s ma did the best she could as well, though it was more of a celebration that Steve had made it through another year. There wasn’t really a Christmas when he fought in the war and Bucky didn’t like to think about it. 

Now, in this modern age -- Bucky saw how Stark  _ rejoiced _ in Christmas. He went all out with the festivities when all the Avengers were there with gifts and decorations that were sometimes too big and bright to handle. All the Avengers had a different way to celebrate this time of the year, which he had seen over the years -- hell even, Steve was more lively than before, but you---

You, who looked lost among all the tinsel and gifts bags,  didn’t know exactly how you wanted to celebrate but he could see that you were trying your hardest to find it. And as you smile at a little Santa Claus twirling around in song, Bucky can’t help but think:

_ I wanna help her figure it all out. _

* * *

 

In the two weeks that you go shopping with Bucky all over New York, you come to realize a lot about the Avengers. Captain Rogers prefers oils and charcoal based paints over anything else. Sam Wilson has a secret love for political satire, while Agent Romanoff has a secret love for cheesy rom-coms. Scott and Clint prefer things that would be of use for them to spend time with their children, and Dr. Banner really enjoys Sudoku. You even end up getting Mr. Stark and Ms. Potts one of those cute couple statues that can be put on their desks. However, you learn the most about Bucky…

He’s shy and cautious around crowds, tending to stick to the back of most stores simply because it’s empty. He can’t stand hot chocolate that isn’t homemade, but he is willing to compromise with the Snickerdoodle hot chocolate at Starbucks. He hates the New York winters, misses and constantly talks about Wakanda (mainly his goats) every chance he can get, though he doesn’t need to bundle up as much as you do -- he does because he doesn’t want the cold stuff touching him. 

And sometimes, like now, he still gets nightmares to the point that he’ll watch reruns of any Christmas movie he can find until he can fall asleep. However, right now it is more about finishing wrapping up all the gifts you had bought as  _ Home Alone  _ echoes in the background. 

There is wrapping paper everywhere as you and the former Winter Soldier have a created a good system of him wrapping the boxes in the wrapping paper and you proceed to tape them up and add little decorations here and there before putting on a name tag and placing them underneath  _ your  _ Christmas tree.  

“With your beard, you should consider playing Santa,” you can’t help but remark with a laugh, as you glance at the movie before turning to look at Bucky who rubs his beard with a questioning look on is face, “Though it would need a bit more white to fit your actual age.” 

“I am actually,” Bucky murmurs mindfully as you look at him in shock over his next words, “Playing Santa at a local hospital for Christmas.” 

“Bucky, that’s wonderful,” you can’t help but exclaim with bright eyes and a grin that simply has him nodding, “I’m gonna have to see that!” 

“It’s the least I could do,” Bucky adds on shyly, though you are quick to understand what he means. You have come to understand a lot of things about the man during your short time together. 

“No,” you pause and lean in a little more to place your hand on top of his right one, “You do a lot already...for a lot of people. Don’t ever belittle that.”

“I--”

“You’re a wonderful man, James Barnes,” you give him the brightest smile in your arsenal but before he can answer back, you are already  getting up due to the sound of the timer declaring that your meal is ready. 

Bucky watches you walk away, his eyes never leaving you for a second as he comes to realize he might have gotten his own Christmas gift a bit early.

* * *

 

You get Bucky to help you one last time in doing some last minute shopping when it comes to your family and friends. For once, you didn’t just want to give them gift cards -- you wanted it to be more personal and Bucky, once you gave him a  few details about a person, seems to just know what could be right for them. It certainly wasn’t about spending as much time as possible before your little bubble popped and the holiday season ended and for you to go back to being nothing but Ms. Potts’ assistant.

You were slowly coming to realize that you didn’t want to let go of Bucky, but you also knew that he wasn’t yours to keep. Hell, he might have just been pitying you this entire time, though you didn’t want to think of him in that light. 

“You have to tell what your nephew thinks of it,” Bucky goes on about the little boy’s gift he had picked out last minute, though he knew well enough that the little guy was into superheroes and stuff -- but a signed Bucky Barnes figure, well that was something else. 

“I’ll even record it for you,” you declare with a laugh since your sibling’s family tended to open gifts at the strike of midnight rather than the next morning, so you had time to do so and send it to him.

“Good. I look forward to--” Bucky stops talking when he notices what is above the two of you, sitting innocently above the entranceway that leads to the recreation room. You look up to see the culprit of Bucky’s sudden silence. 

“Mistletoe,” Bucky murmurs softly as he puts the bags he was carrying down, though his eyes never seem to leave the weed hanging up above, unsure of how it could have gotten there if  it certainly wasn’t there when you had left or even in the days beforehand. 

It only meant one thing and Bucky wasn’t sure if he should be thanking or murdering whoever put it there, as he sees that you kept looking at it too. The question being if you were going to ignore that you had walked under it and do nothing, or push forward with the intentions that came with said plant. Bucky decided to move forward with the latter.

“Do you know what it’s for?” he can’t help but ask cheekily, as you turn to look at him --catching onto his game-- with a shake to his head.     

“I know what mistletoe is for, Bucky,” you explain as you keep looking at the piece of decoration. Bucky pulls you back underneath it with a laugh, unsure of where this could all be going but he doesn’t want to stop. 

“Then, you gotta know that it’s something you can’t run away from,” he remarks with that same boyish grin that you have gotten used and looking at it with those large smile and pretty, bright blues -- your mind goes blank for a moment. 

“I--” you pause for a moment in question as Bucky fears that he might have overstepped his boundaries for a moment. His heart thumps in his eardrums as he watches you, a light curve of your lips and twinkling eyes make him realize that you might want this as badly as he does. 

“Well, I shouldn’t keep you waiting then, huh,” you say so more to yourself, but he can still hear it and it sends a shiver down his spine as your eyes meet his before glancing at his lips.

It’s in that moment that the tension in the air seems to change, as blue eyes meet yours as you lean in a bit more than before. You give him a smile and nervous laugh, but he can tell you want this -- maybe, just as much as him as you grab a hold onto his bicep and he slides an arm over your waist to pull you as close as he can. You bat your eyelashes, as if you are trying to play the part in all the Christmas movies you have been watching recently, at him and Bucky can’t help but grin at this new side of you. 

However, as he places his hand on your cheek and you lean in without hesitation, Bucky knows that this isn’t just a game the two of you are playing. You lean in a bit more, as Bucky moves his head as your breathes mingle together for a couple of seconds. Bucky can’t help but think how lucky he is for a second, until--

_ “Ah, it’s good to be back home!”  _

The sudden declaration from down the hall makes you jump from Bucky’s arms as the moment is irrevocably broken as you push back a little in embarrassment over what could have just happened. You let out a shaky breathe and give him a small, fretting smile as he runs a hand over his hair in obvious frustration, though you aren’t sure why. 

“I should get going,” you let out meekly as you see one Sam Wilson and Steve Rogers enter the room with smiles though still obviously exhausted from a successful mission. They look at the two of you from the other side of the room with questioning glances before you give them an awkward smile and say goodbye. 

“I think we ruined something,” Steve states as he finally notices the mistletoe that was placed in the entranceway where the two of you had just been, as Bucky groans in annoyance.

“Yeah, you did,” he states at a loss before leaving the room as well, leaving Sam and Steve to keep looking at each other in confusion. 

_ What had happened in their time away?  _


	5. the holiday cheer.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> this is the end, thank you for reading <3

“There’s something different about you,” your family members murmur when you see them on the 23rd. You pretend to work too much on the actual festive days in order to not see them, as cruel as it was you had grown tired of sad faces and negative energy during this time of the year -- if only just recently, if only just because of one person. 

“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” you said with through gritted teeth, because you are lying, but they seem to buy it as they give you tepid smiles back and continue to commiserate.

Oh, you knew something had changed -- you were just too afraid to face it.

* * *

 

_ “Tony, what did you do?”  _

_ “I-I might’ve known a certain Tin Man was coming home early...and decided play matchmaker.”  _

_ “I don’t want her spending Christmas alone just because of this. It was already so difficult to get her to the Christmas party last year.” _

_ “Don’t worry, sweetheart. Everyone’s getting a Christmas miracle.” _

* * *

 

December 25th was a day that you had decided was just going to be for yourself this year. You wouldn’t be going to your sibling’ home --you would have already spent Christmas Eve with them-- or spend time with your parents, hell you weren’t even going to get all dressed up like last year and head to the Avengers Tower for a party that Ms. Potts really wanted you to attend. No, you were going to order takeout and watch all of the  _ Home Alone _ series, maybe even tackle that giant puzzle that you still had laying about about in the kitchen area. 

That was what you pictured what Christmas going to be like at the start of the month. You hadn’t been expecting to try to decorate a Christmas tree, to making desserts, to buying presents and wrapping them while watching old movies -- you didn't expect any of this, but you certainly hadn’t been expecting to spend so much time with one Bucky Barnes and him teaching you so much about the holiday spirit. 

You hadn’t expected to fall so head over heels for him either, to the point that you were in a Mrs. Claus’ outfit on Christmas Day in the middle of a hospital ward, but love made you do stupid things right? 

> _ “Bucky hasn’t come out of his room since you left,” Sam had explained to you Christmas Eve as you tethered with anxiety, “And those kids are gonna be waiting for him bright and early.” _
> 
> _ “I don’t understand what you want me to do about it though,” you state in confusion. _

Sam’s bright idea had been to dress you up as Mrs. Claus and with some other volunteers stall for time until either Bucky or someone else came in dressed as Saint Nick. Twenty minutes in you weren’t sure if either solution was gonna walk through that door, as you were growing frantic as you ran out of things to do and the children as sweet as they were starting to grow impatient over not seeing Santa Claus. 

“Shouldn’t you know where your husband is?” one of the older children asks, as you give him a nervous smile. Since you had run away from the kiss, you actually had no idea where Bucky was since you hadn’t gone back to the Tower, declaring your work complete and taking a few extra days before Christmas really set in. 

However, it didn’t really help that you thought about him everyday since then. 

“I’m---” you begin to speak, only for the double doors to open with some nurses bringing in the man of the hour. 

That’s when it happens -- the familiar voice this time declaring  _ hohoho _ as the children cheer his entrance. The volunteers dressed as elves come a bit closer to help the man dressed in the classic red outfit and the beard --that didn’t really make him look his age. However, his blue eyes were shining as all the kids welcomed him. You couldn’t help but smile at the utter happiness on Bucky’s face as his eyes crinkle with laughter. He’s starts going back to his full height, ready to declare something when he finally sees you and for some reason, he just seems to lose the ability to talk.   

“I-I--” Santa Bucky seems to freeze, probably due to all the children crowding around him,  before you cough a little and decide to step in.

“Come on kids,” you say in a motherly tone and begin to motion them to get into a line, “Santa has gifts for everyone if you just be a little patient with him.” 

Santa Bucky moves around to the little area set up for him and though he stares at you for a moment, you only give him a small smile before helping with the kids the best you can. Some of the kids groan, but understand well enough that they will have their time with Santa soon and others huff and puff until you give them some candy and a wink that they’ll get just what they want if they behave. However, most -if not all of them are excited to Santa Claus and at the sight of Bucky smiling and laughing without a care in the world -- well, you were happy to be here as well.

* * *

 

It isn’t until much later, when you are both dressed and walking back towards the Tower in awkward silence that Bucky finally decides to move forward with what he had been lamenting over the past couple of days since he had last seen you. Blue eyes glance over at you, bundled up and kicking the snow slightly, as he begins to speak. 

“I’m sorry you got dragged into this,” Bucky states, wondering if it was Steve or Sam who sent you there. It wasn’t like he was going to let those kids down, he was just running late due to his own misery,  “I know it’s not your sort of thing.”

“I never said it wasn’t, Bucky,” you admit with a laugh, as he keeps staring at you, “It just takes some time getting used to, but I had fun. I’m glad I could help.” 

“That’s--that’s good,” Bucky mumbles, as you keep moving forward with your speech --stopping in the middle of the street-- as if you’re trying to kill him of the embarrassment. 

“Thank you, Bucky,” you state softly while stopping in your walking, while looking at him like he’s the greatest thing in the world and in a way he had given it to you -- this sense of wonder towards this time of year, “I really mean it. I’ve learned a lot from you these past couple of days.” 

Bucky swears he loses his breathe at the sight of you smiling so brightly at him, but it’s also in that moment when he sees it -- green and red hanging above the two of you. He groans for a moment, swearing to either kill or thank whoever is putting him through all this suffering much later. However, for now, he wants to move forward with something else. 

“You know,” he starts off, also stopping a few feet in front of you, “Everyone liked the gifts you gave them. Steve was just at awe with the painting supplies, Sam wouldn’t stop singing to his new records -- everyone’s in love with them, doll.” 

“They aren’t really mine, though,” you try to explain as Bucky simply laughs while getting a bit closer to you than before. 

“Trust me, even with Stark’s name on it,” Bucky states, remembering all the looks on their faces when the Avengers had opened the gifts he had helped you pick out, “They know they’re from you, from the bottom of your heart and that’s what matters.” 

“And you?” you move forward shyly, unsure of where this could be going, but you know that there is a change in the air between the two of you, as blue eyes are on you completely.

“What about me?”

“Did you get what you want?” you state, leaning in a bit more -- the sights and sounds of the city long forgotten as all your attention is simply on Bucky Barnes. 

“I’ve…” he pauses for a moment before diving straight in, “I’ve been pinning for this gal since last year, you see. Since I saw ‘er in a party wearing a pretty silver dress, but I’ve been too much of a coward to talk to her.” 

“Bucky--” you gasp, remembering that party from last year.

“Let me finish, please,” he answers back, running a hand through his hair due to nervousness before moving forward with his feelings, “And then I got to spend time with her, seeing that she’s breathing taking both inside and out. And all I’ve wanted to do for a long while now is--”

That’s when he points to the area above the two of you and that’s when you see the culprit of all your troubles once more -- mistletoe. Your eyes widen, as you go back to looking at Bucky, wondering if this was finally going to lead to something. 

“ _ Kiss her, _ if she lets me,” he states softly, placing his gloved hand on your cheek. Blue eyes stare at you lips for a moment before meeting your eyes. 

You nod eagerly as Bucky lets out a shaky laugh before he leans in pausing only for a moment to let your breath mingles together. His lips are soft and you swear he tastes like peppermint or some type of holiday candy that the kids made him eat back in the hospital. And it seems like the man isn’t going to let you go anytime soon, as he wraps his other arm around your waist and while this would usually morifty you -- it felt like the end to the Christmas movie you had been going through since you had decided to buy Christmas tree with Bucky.

“Merry Christmas, Bucky,” you murmur softly against his lips once you finally break apart. The doom and gloom you usually feel during this time of year bursting into something sweet, as you can’t keep the huge grin blooming onto your face. 

“Merry Christmas, doll,” the man answers back with red cheeks and a soft smile. Foreheads touching for a moment before he leans in once more. 

A comfort that neither of you once had was your Christmas miracle this time around.  


End file.
